Gays and legal unions, guns, and VW: Letters

February 24, 2014

Gays and legal unions

I was married to my husband for 11 years. He was 33 years older than I. We were both Caucasian and Protestant. Neither of us had a police record, and the authorities were never called to our home to break up fights. We both finished school, held jobs and paid taxes. At night, we came home to each other.

Because of our age difference, we put up with a lot of garbage from narrow-minded people who thought our marriage was indecent. I think that if gay people want to have a legal relationship, it's just fine. Given the number of illegitimate children who are being produced by heterosexual couples, more power to anyone who wants a legal relationship.

Anyone who studies history knows that wars, immigration, new ideas and even natural disasters change things. Some things have to be stopped, like Adolf Hitler, but change is the natural scheme of things.

I don't think it should be called a gay marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Come up with another term. Both sides have to give — a lot.

Any legal relationship is a crapshoot these days. Let everybody be able to give it their best shot.

Kathy Andrews Winter Springs

Refund on license refused

I'm 89, and on Dec. 15, I sent a check for $115.30 for two years' renewal of my car license, as the tag was set to expire on Jan. 21. I received my 2016 decal not long afterward.

At about mid-January, after careful consideration, my family recommended I no longer should be driving, for the safety of others as well as myself. I sold my car on Jan. 26 and turned in my plate to the Department of Motor Vehicles the next day. I had the use of the decal for only five days.

On Feb. 11, I asked the DMV why I hadn't received a refund. I was informed I don't get one, but I can apply the money I paid toward a license tag if I buy another vehicle.

If this isn't a Catch-22, what is? I consider this an injustice and a rip-off of my limited income.

Robert L. Kemp Kissimmee

U.S. gun laws backward

My wife and I are on our fourth visit from England to Florida.

As before, we are having an enjoyable stay, but we are surprised at the amount of gun crime compared to our preceding visits. We read in the Sentinel of gun deaths for texting in a theater, playing loud music in a car lot and students arguing on a college campus.

Back home, I have lived in three neighboring villages all my life — 69 years — and in that time, I have known of only one murder. An elderly woman was killed during a burglary.

I was therefore perplexed at the decision to allow students to carry guns to college, though requiring them to be securely locked in vehicles. Crazy.

As an Englishman, I cannot understand why a country as sophisticated, forward-thinking and so influential in the affairs of the world should be so backward regarding its gun laws. It's the Wild West, 21st century.

Barry LeeShafton, Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England

Blame GOP, not VW

Good grief. How misleading is Dana Summers with his United Auto Workers/Volkswagen cartoon in Wednesday's Sentinel? Volkswagen did not reject the UAW. In fact, the company was ready and willing to work with the union. It was the Republican politicians, interfering with free enterprise, who provided the impetus for the UAW's loss.